First turkey in a new SM045

This was done in my 020 at 275*, using a butter soaked cheese cloth for all but the last 45 minutes, which at that point I spayed it with Pam. The skin was not crispy, but it was presentable, not soft and rubbery.

I do like to get the bird as close to the element as I can.

Hope this helps a little.

That's a work of art.

The first turkey I ever smoked in my then new 009 turned out grey and rubbery. Had to brown and crisp it in the oven. I have had good luck using the butter and honey rub since then. When I ordered my new SM045, they told me it wouldn't arrive until the 26th of Nov. I figured I would do the turkey the old way, and then get to do some experimenting. I ordered the new smoker on the 14th, and it showed up on the 16th. I had set my mind to do it the old way. Inject the bird with Turkey Gold, season the cavity with poultry seasoning, stuff it with onions celery, orange slices, sage and rosemary, rub the outside with butter and orange blossom honey, and smoke it with a combination of apple, and cherry wood. I am sort of torn between doing what I know in the old smoker and experimenting with the new smoker.

One reason it's "gray" is there is too much humidity in the smoke (yeah, like that's a bad thing).

Dupe some humidity. You'll dump heat also, but you'll get a browner bird, and cook it at as high a temp you can.

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Mike:
< and smoke it with a combination of apple, and cherry wood. >

Cherry will tend to darken anything you smoke.

I finally got through the day. I did 2 turkeys in the new SM045. I injected the birds last night, stuffed the cavitey with orange, onion, celery, and aromatics. Wraped it in cheese cloth soaked in butter and orange blossom honey. Started the first one at 6:00 am at 275 degrees. The bird had been in the smoker about 45 minutes when I heard what I thought was an explosion. Probably just the metal of the new smoker flexing with the heat. This bird finished at 1:30 pm. I had started the second bird in my old 009 at 11:00 am, and transfered it to the SM045 when the first bird came out. I was working with a deadline on this one, and had to turn the temp up to 300 to get it done. both birds were falling off the bone done. in fact the wings on both birds fell off when I tried to move them. I am a happy camper.